Many mental health providers are deeply motivated to work with veterans and first responders – and with good reason. It is truly wonderful to work with those who protect and defend others. These individuals are often service oriented and altruistic by nature. In addition, they possess extraordinary resilience, a strong sense of duty, and a deep desire to be better everyday for the people who count on them. Working with this population can be meaningful and incredibly rewarding.

Presenters Doc Springer and Robyn Sonnier continually heard from their clients that they have dropped out of care with other providers because of how they experienced treatment with other licensed providers. As they listened closely to their stories, it became clear that there is a hidden cultural - and trust deficit - between veterans and first responders and well-intentioned, otherwise-skilled providers who likely get great outcomes with other clients. Veterans and first responders frequently report feeling misunderstood, judged, or emotionally unsafe in sessions. These deficits are not always about clinical expertise but rather context, communication, and culture.

This FREE training will begin to pull back the veil on this often hidden barrier to care. Participants will learn what veterans and first responders wish their past therapists had known, the unspoken codes and cultural norms that can make or break trust, common missteps that lead to dropout, and how to adapt their approach to create psychological safety and cultural alignment.

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